things in the Lorde and if they commaund vs anie thing contrary to the lawe of God we then patientlie suffer without resistance or rebellious thoughtes The freedome then we have to speake of here which Christ had purchased for vs is first that triumphe ouer Hell Deathe and damnation through the merites of Christ apprehended by faith wayted for in hope Rom. 8. Secondly that because we were sonnes by election he giveth vs the spirit of adoption and sanctification whereby we mortifie the fleshe have power and dominion over sinne that it shall never reigne in vs more vnto condemnation repēting dayly of our trespasses craving pardon for our hidden sinnes and secret faultes Thirdly we are through the same spirit and worde of trueth delivered from all subiection of Antichist of the false Church false ministerie false government etc. And they that have not this fredome are not by outward profession the servauntes of Christ Furder we have freedom from all traditious of men that seing we are bought with a price we are no longer servants of men to be in bondage to anie beggarly rudimentes or devises of men but in all peaceable manner to worship and serve God within the limites of our callings according to the word of God as it is reuealed vnto vs We have freedome to speake the trueth with all boldnes though all men should inhibite vs we would not haue the doctrine limited stinted bought and sould for Iewish tythes or mercenarie stipendes We have freedome to separate from such false Prophets as yourself to come out of Babel etc. And in the true Church to reprove and withstand anie sinne or traditions of men in due order only to be guided governed by Christes lawes and ordinances In all this I trust you shall not find any Anabaptistrie in the freedom we professe this is the truth of the Gospell wherby we are made free Thus then we still affirme that they which stand in open known bondage to sinne are the servants of sinne and not of Christ till they repent by outward profession Furder that all which stand members of your parish assemblies stand not members of CHRIST by outward profession but in bondage to a false and Antichristian ministery government worship etc. and the bond woeman and her sonne must be cast out Furder for all liturgies and other devises of men besides the canonicall Scriptures and lively graces of his Spirit we hold they ought not to be brought into the publique assemblies nor imposed vpon mens conscience But if anie will write such or reade such let it be for their private vse as all other mens writtings we despise not any directions by word or writting that may furder vs anie way to the practize of Gods ordinances yet may they nether be imposed vpon mens consciences not be made a part of Gods worship The Lord therfore that hath thus far far fourth discouered the chaff and mift of Antichrist delusions euen to babes and sucklings publish the glorious light of his blessed Gospel that the peopel may see the counterfeit iuglinges of all such false prophets and come out from amongst them that you may be ashamed of your execrapale wares and forsake your Romish Priesthoode and give glory to God that yet offereth grace Amen Christs vnworthie witnes for the truth of his Gospell IOHN GREENWOOD 9 Other Arguments to prove that all set formes of prayer to be used for prayer are unlawfull 1. WE finde that all the holy men of God according to their present need occasion used to pray in the spirit through the helpe of the Holy Ghost which God hath shed in the hearts of all his Children without reading or saying by rote any nūber of words and for this we have plentifull Examples in Abraham Isaak Iacob c. 2. Not any prescript Leiturgy can possibly be an ordinance of Christ because the Church without it may perfectly and entirely worship God I say performe all the parts of holy and spirituall worship this appeares by the constant and generall practice of all the primitive Churches who truly worshipped the Lord many yeares before any such read stinted service was devised or imposed 3. This external meanes and manner of worshipping God in prayer is no where found in the written word by the prescript whereof he is to be worshipped whatsoever the Iewes Fable of Ezra or the Papists of S. Iames or S. Peter Yea I doe to the contrarie affirme that it did not seem good to the Apostles the last penmen of the Holy Ghost that any certaine formes should be repeated or read out of a prayer booke For if it had they would have given commandment to the Churches for the practice thereof 4. Reading of prayer in the act of prayer is directly contrary to that act and nature of prayer For in prayer we doe poure out matter to weet the holy conceptions of our minde from within to without that is from the heart to God On the contrarie in reading we doe receive and admitt matter from without to within that is from the booke into our heart Ergo c. 5. The stinted and devised formes doe quench the spirit of prayer and this appeares in that men are so strictly tyed unto them as till they stint be out the spirit which the Lord gives his children may not suggest one thought or word otherwise Neither when that is out any more then what next followes in the prescribed prayers and this is contrary to 1 Cor. 12 7. 6. We finde it promised that under the Gospell the spirit should be plentifully poured out which he dayly graciously performeth in furnishing his children with spiritual gifts who accordinglie pray or at least all may not with prescript words but with such as the spirit gives them utterance God preparing their heart and bending his eare 7. The truth brings forth no absurditie but this doth For Example the spirit sayth the Apostle speaking of all Christians helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought Yes Paul with your leave right well for we have in our Leiturgie what wee ought to pray word for word and these things we can aske whether the spirit be present or no 8. As it were a ridiculous thing for a Child when he should aske of his Father bread fish or any other thing to read it to him out of a paper So is it for the Children of God to read unto God their Requests even a most foolish and riduculous thing 9. As the reasons published to the world against the reading of the Apocrypha bookes in Churches will serve as much and as well to condemne all devised and imposed formes of prayer So likewise the arguments brought against kneeling before the bread and wine in the act of receiving will prove that to fall downe before the common prayer booke is every way as superstitious sinfull a thing And so much the reader shall finde certaine if he will indifferently compare the things together FINIS Rom. 8.26 Gal 4.6 2. cor. 4.13 Psalm 51 17 Psalm 42 43. I. Sam. 1 17 Psal. 119 Rev. 2. 11. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Other foundatiō can no mā laye c. Gal. 3. 15 Heb. 2 3 4. 9. 14 Mat. 5. 18. 2 Timot. 3 15. 16. 17 Rev. 22. 18. 19. 2. Pet. 1. 20. 1 Cor. 12 7. Iam. 4.14 Rom 8.7 and 11 34.1 Cor. 2.16 3.19 1 Tim. 4. 5. Act. 16.13.13 Tim. 2.1 34 5. Gal. 1.8.9 Rev. 22.18.19.2 Tim. 1.13 1 Tim. 6 14 1 Cor 2.16 and 2 20. Mr. Barrowes refutation discovery etc. Rev. 24 9 10.11.12 Esa. 52.11 Ierem. 51 6 45. Mat. 116 Rom. 8.26
is dry saith David I am wearie with crying c. But here againe in stead of answere you tell me I runne upon the rocke of an hereticall opinion of perfection Wherein I wonder but that I perceave your right eye is blinded you should be so carelesse what you say nay what after two yeares studie you put in print Doth it follow that because the heart moved with occasion through the worke of faith hath wordes and matter enough in praying without a booke to speake for it that therefore faith is perfect Let equall Judges consider Here you say manie are so troubled perplexed in minde that they cannot pray till they have some consolation by the direction of others which when they cannot have reading upon a booke is a notable help I allowe all this and agree if you would make reading one thing and prayer an other divers exercises of the spirit c. But in the verie action of praying to have an other speake unto us never so good wordes of exhortation were but a confounding of the minde and action and an abuse of both those holie exercises Even so by your owne comparison reading upon a booke in the action of praying seing we cannot doe both at once It is the spirit of God in the verie action of prayer that helpeth our infirmities David in praying finding his soule heavie stirreth up himself as thus My soule why art thou cast down why art thou disquieted within me waite on God For I will yet give him thankes my present help and my God He had a troubled minde his mouth wanted no wordes to provoke the Lorde to heare his complaint and his heart to waite upon the Lord so through all the Psalmes you shall finde the conversing of the soule with God to be such as it were a mockerie to think reading vpon a book could have anie place in that action or that anie mans writing could lay out the present estate of the soule with the passions thereof The Priest may say my booke whie are thouso euill prynted for when they reade the heart cannot reason and talke with God To the second poynt which was but your bare assuming of the question to say a man may pray by the spirit vpon a booke c. I alleadged that to worship God in spirit is when the inward faith of the heart bringeth foorth true invocation etc. this you graunt to be most true and that none other is accepted of G O D then that which proceedeth from the inward faith of our owne heart But you think that reading vpon a booke is to bring foorth of the heart true invocation This cannot be if wee consider the difference betweene proseuche and anagnosis prayer and reading the one being a powring fourth of vowes petitions supplications the other a receaving into the soule al such things as wee reade This therfore I leave to all mens consciences to be considered whether the matter we reade can be said a powring fourth of the heart the whole vse of these divers actiōs through the whole Bible shew yt cannot Now where I said that you teach men insteade of powring fourth their hearts to help themselves with matter and wordes out of a booke you say I speake fondly and foolishlie etc. Mine answeare now is yt is well I lyed not if I had said you compell men to read vpon a booke in all your publique assemblies certaine wordes of your owne writings by number and stint from yeare to yeare day to day the same instead of powring out their hearts before the Lorde for their present wants I had not lyed Now let all men by that which hath bene said consider the grossnes of it and so the follie remayneth to your self But to helpe this matter to deliver your self conniugly in such a strayte you say you wish al men to use the help of the book that they might the better powre fourth their hearts vnto God being such as are not throughly able First you graunt here the prayers read vpon the booke is not the powring fourth of the heart but ought to be vsed only as an help wherbie you graunt the whole question and furder all your assemblies have had no other invocation of Gods name this many yeares but a help to teach them to powre fourth their hearts But whether mens writings may be read in the publique assemblies to this use we shall after make manifest Here yet is graunted but an help and not the powring fourth of the heart And to whom is it graunted an help to such as are not able to pray Here eyther you must confesse your whole ministerie is vnable to pray or that they transgresse in in this high worship of GOD for in an other place you graunt in all your assemblies this reading is vsed of mens writing for prayer thus you may behold your best worship to be nothing but a help to teach you to pray Where I said that you teach men to fetch the cause of their sorrowing from the booke euen in their tyme of begging at G O D S hand you say I speak fondly to call that the cause which is the manifestation of the cause etc. You here forget your artes Is ther no more causes then one if it be the instrumentall cause it is sufficient to prove that if your Ministers had not their booke they had nothing to aske or els asking that which is in the booke they aske not that wich before was in their owne heartes so not comming heavie laden they goe emptie away and leave the matter in the booke as they founde it till the next day and then sing the same songe But true prayer is when the heart is first prepared and moued with the sight of their wants as the child that asketh breade So we should not pray of custome but aske the verie thing wherof our heart feeleth the want Your comparison againe betwixt the being stirred up by a Sermon and stirred up by reading sheweth that your self will not make the reading the powring fourth of the heart Ther is no question but the exercise of reading is chieflie for instruction and encrease of knowledge and meditating is not the same nether can be said to be al the use of reading though we denie reading to be praying but because we are forbidden contention about wordes I have offred you as much wrong in saying you denyed reading to be for meditation at all I will proceede to the more necessarie doctrines Also for the controversie of Canonicall and Apocryphall we shall speak in due place Thus say you you have answered nothing at all vnto this Commandement giuen by our saviour Christ to vse that prescript forme of prayer say Our Father c but by shift and cavill c. Here you thinke you have put me to a plunge your self needed nothing doubt but that I allowed the Commaundement holie and good and to extend to all Christians as well as
to the Apostles namely to use that prescript forme of prayer as the perfect patterne direction to all mens true prayers But you I trust will make difference betwixt a forme to all prayers and praying or prayer And here you vehemently urge me to answeare you before I see you conclude any thing from the place and so I should runne into follie to answeare a matter before I heare it In your first entrance of this discourse you were rounde in your Syllogismes by two at once to wraft my wordes and can find none for your self Yt seemes your conscience is witnes the matter would not hang together And me thinkes you had never more neede to have shewed what you would drawe from this place Luke 11. Seing I either mistooke you the last time or els you make a simple collection which was this Christ said to his Disciples when you pray say Our Father and not when you meditate say Our Father Now what would you conclude of this except as I said that Christ would not have them meditate that Scripture But this I perceave was not your meaning now I partlie thinke your Argument should be if the sworde were not broken in the sheath thus Christ commaunded his Disciples when they prayde to say Our Father c. therefore to be tyed to reade over or say by roate certaine wordes is lawfull praying For the first that our Saviour Christ tyed no man or commaunded none to say over those verie wordes when they prayde but to pray according to that form after that manner as Math. 6. I manifested in my first writing I. that our Saviour did not commaunde us to use those wordes 2. that Matth. 6. doth not keepe the same wordes nor that number of wordes which Luke 11. doth 3. that he did not say read these wordes when you pray or say these wordes by roate After all which reasons slilye passed away in both your answeres you come with your bare affirmation that he commaunded those wordes to be said over by roate or reading Yea a litle after you say it is false to say that he commanded not the verie wordes to he said over when we pray And you further conclude that because Christ commaunded his Disciples to say over those wordes therefore all mens writings in the forme of praier may be brought into the publique assemblies to be read for praier being agreable to the worde To which I answere that seing no mans writings are without errour it is pernitious and blasphemous doctrine you collect First because you make mens writings of equal authority with the forme of praier which Christ hath prescribed 2. for that you give men as much liberty and authority to frame and impose their Liturgies as Christ had to set downe a forme of praier he being Lord of the house The wickednesse of which collections you shall never be able to answere And because you here urge me thereunto I will make answeare to your two places of Scripture wherwith by false interpretation you deceave the simple which taken from you your matter is nothing but cavilling The places are these Luke 11. Num 6. and because the one explanes the other and your collections the same from both I will beginne with numbers 6.32 33.34 etc. Thus shall you bless the Children of Israell saying the Lord bless thee and keep thee etc. Here you say they were commaunded to use the verie wordes prescribed in all their blessings This I say is not true for the Hebrew worde is Coh Tebaracu thus shall you blesse wher the worde Coh is an adverb of similitude as we say after this manner which cannot be to say the same but according to the same instructions This worde Coh is used throughout the Bible in this maner in all the Prophets when they say thus sayth the Lorde where the summe of their prophesies are onely recorded to us by the holy Ghost and not all the wordes Againe this blessing is used in the Psalmes and Chronicles in prayer for the people in manie other wordes Ely blessed Hanna in other wordes etc. And where in Luke 11.2 it is recorded that our Saviour Christ commaunded his Disciples when you pray say Our Father c. it is plaine by the doctrines following 4.5.6.8.11 verses that Christ tied no man to the verie wordes saying over for he teacheth them to aske their particular wants as a childe asketh breade or an egg of his Father also to importune the Lorde for our particular wants But to make this place more plaine the same holy Ghost in the 6. of Mathew 9. verse saith when you pray say thus Our Father etc. where the greek word houtos hath the same signification that the Hebrew worde Coh hath which is after this manner cannot be referred to the verie wordes saying over wher upon Mr. Calvin upon those wordes faith Noluit filius Dei prescribere quibus verbis utendum sit The Sonne of God would not prescribe what words we must use Now consider how falslie Mr Gifford hath interpreted these Scriptures to say the Priests were commaunded to use the verie wordes and that Christ commaunded to use the verie wordes As for his collections that therefore mens writings may be imposed upon publique assemblies by stint number to be prayde it is an intollerable error bringeth in all poopery Here I must call all men that reade this fruitlesse discourse to be witnes of Mr. Giffords abuse of his tongue to the defacing of Gods truth In his Epistle he proclaymed that I called all men Idolāters which you shall perceave to be his owne wordes and to that end I will breifly repeat it In my first writing I affirmed the reading imposed Liturgies by stint and limitation instead of true invocation as also all reading menswritings for praying to be idolatrie In his answere he said he could not see by what collour it could be called Idolatrie or maintayned out of Gods worde so to be but it seemes the penners of these things take every sinne against the first table of the Lawe to be Idolatrie if they doe so saith he and with all doe hold that no Idolater shal be saved then doubtlesse all are lost c. To this ignorant excursorie I answered that all false and devised worship by mans intention was Idolatrie as the first and second commandements did testifie And to admit all the breaches of the first table were not idolatrie yet reading of mens writings instead of praying must needs be idolatry seing it is a transgression of the second Commandement Further though I needed not have followed his emptie head even a cloude without water yet I proceeded to prove that no idolater could be saved but b y repentance for their knowne sinne and craving pardon with David for their hidden sinnes and secreet faults Moreover sayd I doe you thinke anie man is free from all inward and outward idolatrie seing we cannot keep one Commandement and in
publique assemblies Ephes. 2. 20. and 1 Cor. 3. Fourthlie if we might bring in anie mens writings into the publique assemblies thē all mens writings which we judge agreable to the Scriptures But this is forbidden Ecclesiastes 12. 11. 12. My proof of the first Proposition is this If anie mens writings are to be brought into the publique assemblies by Gods commaundement because they are agreable to the Scriptures as you in an other place alleadge then all that are thought agreable to the Scriptures ought of necessitie by the same commandement and if ther be no commandement then none are to be make Authentique which God hath not made Authentique For that were to set man in the place of God No mans writings cary that majestie as doth the pen of the holy Ghost No mans writinges are Cecuromenai Authentique confirmed by signes and wonders from heaven sealed by Christes blood that not one worde of title shal be vnfulfilled The Scriptures are all sufficient All men must walke by that one rule To thinke ther were not rules enough prescribed by the Lord for his house were blasphemous and papisticall Now for the explication interpretation etc. and speach vnto God in prayer God hath given giftes vnto men to pray and prophecye and ordeyned his ministery of Pastors Teachers whose lively voice is appointed to be the mouth of God vnto the people of his people vnto himself in the publique assemblies And these graces are not Apocryphall for no prophecie of the Scripture is of private interpretation idias epiluseos to euery one is given the manifestation of the spirit to proffit withal Most execelent men serve but their tyme in the publique assemblies Now J may conclude as J beganne That onely Gods holy word the lively graces of his holy Spirit are to be heard offred vp vnto in him the publique assemblies Where then in way of answere to the Minor Proposition you say you see not how our speach vnto God should be Apocrypha It answeareth not me who deny an other mans writing to be our speach in prayer unto God But c̄onvinceth your selfe by you own mouth thus True praier is not Apocrypha but all mens writings are Apocr Therefore mens writing is not true praier Here when you have nothing to say for your self you woulde make me believe that I accompt the Psalmes and the other formes of prayer in the Scripture to be Apocrypha when they be read though a litle before you confessed you had in your last writing donne me wrong therin I do accompt the reading of thé for praying to be a groffe and superstitious abuse of them yet them to be holie canonical script And here you have flatly ouerthrowen your self saying the worde Apocrypha is vsed with vs for that which is not Gods vndoubted worde vnto vs And in your last writing which should have beene your answere you said God speaketh to vs onely by the Canonicall Scriptures Now seing you would make your liturgie and devised formes of prayer helpes and instruction and yet cannot make them Canonicall or Gods vndoubted truth they must not be brought into the publique assemblie much lesse imposed by lawe vpon the consciences of all men And here remember all your Liturgies are cast out of the doore besides that you have not made in both writinges one direct answeare to this most firme Proposition which I will still leave upon you thus Onely the Canonicall Scriptures and lively voice of Gods own graces are to be brought into the publique assemblies for doctrine and prayer But mens writings are neyther Canonicall scripture nor the lively voice of Gods graces in such as he hath appointed to speake in the publique assemblies Therefore no mans writings may be brought into nor imposed upon the publique assemblies Thus might I make an ende with this vaine man considering the whole matter is proved against him all that followes being but repetitions of these former cavills but that I must cleare my self of his unconscionable slanders The Second Argument We must doe nothing in the worship of God without warrant of his worde But read prayers have no warrant in his worde Therfore read prayers are not to be used in the worship of God GEORGE GIFFORD To this I answere at the first that it is a greate audacitie to affirme that there is no warrant in the worde for read prayers When ther be sundry testimonies to warrant the same unless you will make difference betweene that which a man readeth upon a booke and that which he hath learned out of the booke Furder I said I doe not remember that ever I have read that God commaunded in the Scriptures that prayer shal be read upon a Booke c. J. GREENWOOD SEing you have indeed not answered one reason or proof I alleadged in my last writing but with must evil conscience as the handling sheweth perverted them I will leaue them to be iudged of them that shall see my writing And here seing you would not print it I will answere your cheif obiections First then you graunt that if I put difference betweene reading vpon the booke and that which he hath learned out of the booke mine Argument is founde For by your owne confession God hath not given anie Commandement for read prayer and so it hath no warrant Whervpon I gayne thus much First that they which impose read praier vpon the Church do that wherof they have no warrant in the worde and that in the high service of God then that they which reade vpon a booke for praying do that wherof they have no warrant in Gods worde wherupon al your Ministers must leave reading their stinted prayers upon the booke or els stand vnder Gods wrath all that so pray with them which wil be a fearefull reckoning if they repent not of their sinne shewed them And although our question be cheiflie concerning the reading of mens writings instead of praying yet I am content the other abuse of the Scriptures be included also though I make not both in the same height of sinne as shall appeare in my several reasons As an vnconstāt man then you in the latter end of the answere to this Argument would cal backe agayne that which you here have granted Namely that there is no Commandement to reade prayer vpon a booke for praying Of the contrary thus you reason The people of God did reade the Psalmes vpon a booke when they did singe therefore men may reade vpon a booke when they pray I deny your Argument besides that all men may see Your unstablenes in denying and affirming with one breath you now go about to make reading of prayer a Commandement thus you prove it Singing say you is a part of praier Singing may be read vpon a Booke therefore praier may be read vpon a booke Admit that Singing were a part of praier yet doth it not followe that all prayer may be read vpon a booke But you speake like
the Sacraments The minister may conceive praier etc. Hold you to this that it is not of necessity you will denie it againe in the next Argument Wel here you graunt it is not of necessitie But you have not answered me tell me whether you hold it necessarie or no if it be at all times necessarie the Testament is not perfect Againe do you not hold it of necessitie when you excommunicate men depose your ministery for not observing it But you saye it is for conveniencie If it be a part of Gods worship and all times convenient then is it necessarie and if it be not necessarie put such conveniency in your corner Capp or surplus Nowe if it be necessarie at all times you must prove it is commanded in Gods worde or els say that all things necessarie in Gods worship be not conteyned in Gods worde which were blasphemous and papisticall to affirme To this you graunt all things necessarie and convenientare conteyned and aske if I be ignorant that ther be manie thinges conteyned in the Scriptures that are not expressed in particular but be gathered from the generall rules No I am not ignorant of this but if it may be gathered ether by expresse wordes or by generall rules that there should be prescript formes of praier for the administration of the Sacraments or anie other particular action of the Church then must it be so of necessitie because God hath commaunded it though not in particular yet in generall rules But you graunt it is not of necessity therfore it is not commaunded in particular nor conteyned in anie generall rule Yet you demaunde of me if one should obiect that ther were not commaundement in the scriptures nor example for anie prayers to be made at all before preaching etc. I would say he should lye against God we have both For the Apostle shewes it was the chief part of their office to continue in the worde and prayer Act. 6.4.1 Cor. 14. and 1. Tim. 2 1 Acts. 2.42 besides all things are sanctified vnto vs by the word praier And because they never vsed doctrine in the Ch. but praier wēt before therfore their meetings is said to be vnto praier some things ther are I graunt that are not prescribed in particular and yet are commaunded by general doctrine as baptisme of Infants But whatsoever is commaunded either in particular or necessary collections from generall rules are of necessitie to be obeyed as the commaundements of God and may not be altered but your particular forms of prescript wordes have no such warrant Nowe seing you would have no prescript wordes of prayer for the minister to vle before his preaching not of necessitie for the Sacraments have none for excommunication etc. I wondred wher of your Portuis is made wherto it should serve except for churchings and burialls and such popery wherby you leaue the commaundements of God to sett vp your owne traditions And here vpon I demaunded wherupon you would make your stinted and sett praiers You marueile I should be so babling and make such questions you meane about your babling worship You saye of the particulars of the Lordes praier I demaunde nowe againe whether you can number the starres of heavē or the sandes of the sea if not much lesse the particulars of the Lords praier There is medecine and direction of praier for every soule every disease therfore to be drawē fourth by doctrine parier as need requireth you would sett a liturgie vpon some thinges and compell men thervnto every meeting which were no thing els but to seale vp the fountaine and send men to the drye pitts of your execrable devises from the whole fountaine to a pitcher of water from the liuely graces of Doctrine and prayer to your owne writings Paul commaunded to pray for Kings and Princes yet bounde no man what wordes to vse The Lord give you repentance of such presumptuous sinne as to alter his worship If you cannot knowe the estate of the soule before hand you can make no formes of wordes for it The Eight Argument Read prayers were devised by Antichrist and maintaine superstition and an Idoll ministery therfore read prayers and such stinted service are intollerable c. G. GIFFORD Antichrist devised manie blasphemous wicked prayers But to say that the making or following a prescript forme of prayer was his is most false for there were Liturgies in the Church of olde before Antichrist was set in his throne c. J. GREENWOOD THe Scripture never inforced to reade praiers for praying nether stinted vs what or how manie wordes to vse nether is the formes of praier prescribed in the Scripture and devise of man Let vs then hold these two to be the matters in hand the one reading in steade of praying the other stinging and limiting by a written liturgie what howe many wordes to pray with all other such prescriptions as your liturgie conteyneth All may be affirmed antichristian which is not warranted by Christs worde Yet your liturgie is even from that Antichrist lifted vp into the throne you speake of as may by all men be seene that will compare it with the Portuis And as I have heard the Pope would have approved of your liturgie if it might have bene receaved in his name Nowe we have proved in the discourse before that reading for praying hath no warrant from Gods Worde which maketh them two severall and divers actions every where Here then we must consider something for an other liturgie then Christes Testament which we shall find to be nothing els then an other gospell And because Mr Gifford saith ther were liturgies in the Church before Antichrist was lifted vp into his throne which I will not denye I would have all men vnderstand that I do not go about to prove the church no church that hath a liturgie as mine Arguments are falslie wrested to that purpose but to prove the vnlawfullnes of such liturgie thrust vpon mens Consciences is onlie my determination through Gods assistance The worde liturgie signifieth publicum manus ergon Laon the worke of or for the people that is the very execution of the ministerial actions in the Church according to the worde of all the officers therof that is the practise of those ministeriall duties prescribed by Christ we may euery where reade Jn the first of the Gospell of Luke the 23. verse it is said And is came to passe that when the daies of his ministration were past he went home to his house meaning Zacharias where we see the worde Liturgie for his execution of his ministeriall function Now this Leitourgia of the newe Testament is even the rule and function prescribed by Christ for the puqlique actions to be donne in his Church which leiturgu of Christ is perfect and he pronounced accursed that addeth any thing therto or taken any there from yea al mē are bound to keep the true patterne therof without alterration
him yet he persisteth Namely that the regenerate man may be said to stand in bondage to sinne by reason of the corruption of the fleshe that is in us and of our unperfectnes in this life Then that one standing in outward bondage to open knowen sinne may in that estate be accompted and communicated with as the servant of Christ by outward profession both at one instant which is as much to say we may be to mans sight the servant of the Devill and the servant of Christ both at one tyme by outward profession so none should be excommunicate none be without the world and the church light and darknes Christ and Belial should be mingled togeather These heresies wherof he most unjustly and untruly proclaymeth to be mainteyned by us is that the regenerate man consenteth not to sinne after regeneratiō although in the last writinge I testified the contrary Namely that the whole church might erre might committ some kinde of Idolatrie that no man was free from committing sinne etc And now I testifie to all the world that I was never infected with anie such Anabaptistery but have everie where resisted such damnable heresie I have learned and taught manie degrees of sinne and differences of transgressions which the deare children of God fall into after regeneration in thought word and deed of ignorance of knowledge of presumption slippes transgressions and obstinate sinne Yea that ther is no sinne except the sinne against the holy Ghost but Gods children may commit it after regeneration and be renued by repentance which we ought to pray for in all sinners but that one sinne except Not that men should here upon take boldnes to sinne because God giveth repentance to his elect wherin the riches of his mercy appeareth but rather serve him in trembling and feare as a jealous God least with Esaw we find no place to repentance though we seeke it with teares Againe though in Gods sight his elected are never forsaken utterlie nor the Holy Ghost utterly extinguished in the repentance yet to mans jndgement he that committeth open knowen sinne and persisteth obstinately in the same cannot be held the child of God to us by outward profession but must be cutt of Numbers 15.27.31 Matt. 18.17 and 1 Cor. 5. till they repent Much more none that stand open professed members of the false Church subject by the least outward bowing downe to this antichristian Hierarchie and so continuing in bondage to a false government can be holden of us be true professors of Christs Gospel Now let us peruse the several doctrines Mr Gifford affirmeth that the true Church might stand in bondage to a false government yet in that estate be helde communicated with as the true Church by outward profession his wordes in waye of proof be these They may with St. Paule say It is no longer I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me for if the yoake wherwith he was held captive in part could not sake from him but that he was the Lordes free servant it is no reason that some outwarde bondage should make the Church not to be the spouse of Christ If a man commaund his wife saith he to do a thinge and ther be violent force to withold her shee is not to be blamed Rom. 7. Mine answere to this he durst not print but perverted my wordes so manie as pleaseth him nether can I yet come by a copie of my former writing to shew what I then replyed Now consider what government is and what bondage is and then behold the wickednes of this man Spiritual government is that soueraigntie Dominion and regiment that Christ Iesus by his spirit lawes ordinances and officers exerciseth in and over his church as it is written And thou Bethlehem Iuda art not the least among the Princes of Iuda for out of thee shall come a governour that shall governe my people Israell againe thy Scepter is an everlasting Scepter I have set my king vpon Syon my Holy mountaine Mat. 26. Psal. 3. and 45 and 110 these lawes and ordinances wherby this kinge raigneth are caled a kingdome that cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 they that have not him to reigne over them are by outward profession none of his If I be your Lord where is my honour againe those myne enimies which would not that I should reigne over them bring hither and stay them before me Luke 19.27 Also bondage or servitude is to be commaundement and to yeild obedience in subiection Now to be in outward bondage to an other outward government other lawes officers and ordinances then Christs is to be by outward subiection servants of Antichrist which hath another foundation for by outward profession we cannot stand to mans iudgement professed subiects to two kings at enmitye But we must be an enmity to the one and so esteemed of all men much lesse members vnto two divers heades This then is mine answere here 1. That it is an heresie to say a man may stand in bondage to open knowen sinne and the free seruaunt of Christ by outward profession both at one instant 2 That it is a falsifying of the Scripture to say that St. Paul in the 9. to the Romanes was in bondage to sinne when he in the inner man resisted sinne and daylie preuailed against the sinne which his flesh would have led him captiue in if there had not beene a stronger power to overcome that enimie For he ther reasoueth of the benefits of the law to manifest our sinne and our conquest over sinne by daylie repentance and reproving of sinne in our selves fighting against sinne in our selves and labour to have victory over sinne though it continuallie rebell 3. How blasphemous were it to contynue in knowen sinne in bondage to it and to say it is sinne that dwelleth in vs and not we and so still to blesse our selves without amendement O horrible peruertinge of the Scriptures to mens distruction 2. Pet. 3.16.4 That ther is no Argument to be drawen nor consequence to followe from the reliques of sinne and corruption of the fleshe in one man or the whole Church and a professed bondage to all false government no not betweene the open committing of sinne in the whole Church or some members therof and a professed homage and subiection vnto false government we cannot be partaken be partakers with the false Church state at no hand 1. Cor. 10.21.5 Lastlie that the subiection to an other government is as a wife that committeth adulterie Hosea 2. I then reason thus on the contrary with you Any man that after regeneration committeth open knowen sinne and contynueth obstiuate as a bond servaunt ther vnto standeth not the professed servaunt of Christ but of sinne Ezechiel 18. till he repent so the whole Church that persisteth in the open knowen sinne and persequuteth the messengers that reprove the same They as everie member of the false Church standeth a professed servaunt of sinne so the whole assemblies that stand